Strategic Retail Analyst - Sales Planning

Company David creates tools to increase muscle and decrease fat. Our first product is a protein bar. More broadly, David is a platform to develop high-protein, low-calorie, blood-sugar-friendly foods that are craveable. Opportunity This is a rare opportunity to join a breakout food brand at a pivotal stage of growth. Led by CEO Peter Rahal, Cofounder and Former CEO of RXBAR, David is working to become the leading consumer food brand focused on high-protein foods in North America and beyond. Role & Responsibilities We are seeking a Sales Planning Analyst to serve as the analytical and operational backbone of David’s Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process. This role is central to ensure that David’s commercial ambitions are grounded in supply reality, and that every retail partner has the inventory they need to keep David’s products on shelf. Sitting at the intersection of Retail, Supply Chain, and Finance, you will own the models, tools, and processes that allow the business to anticipate inventory constraints before they become service issues. You will translate distribution expansion plans, promotional calendars, and demand signals into concrete production and fulfillment requirements, working in close partnership with the Supply Chain Team (SCT), Manufacturing, and Procurement to ensure supply keeps pace with growth. 1. S&O Analytics & Demand Planning Own the retail demand forecast models and key assumptions that drive the S&OP process, ensuring inputs reflect the latest distribution plans, promotional events, and velocity trends Build velocity assumptions at the SKU and retailer level, accounting for distribution timing, promotional lift, and new item ramp profiles Assess the retail opportunity pipeline to determine which customer commitments and new launches should be incorporated into the demand plan, and begin sizing the corresponding production requirements accordingly Maintain forecasts that quantify the supply impact of different demand outcomes, enabling the business to make decisions with clear trade off visibility Provide Finance with key planning inputs including launch timing and customer commitments by S&OP deadlines, and flag mismatches between commercial ambition and realistic supply capacity 2. Inventory Visibility & Constraint Management Build and maintain a real time inventory visibility model that tracks stock at every node of the supply chain: David’s DCs, retailer DCs, and retailer in-store inventory Monitor and model inventory positions by SKU and by customer to identify which channels or accounts are driving depletion ahead of plan Develop a PO management framework that enables the Fulfillment team to make informed, data-driven decisions when rationing available inventory across customers during constraint periods Recommend how to prioritize and allocate incoming retailer POs to maximize on shelf availability across all channels simultaneously, integrating strategic priorities Partner with the Fulfillment team and Marketing to manage short term PO intake and service levels, aligning on how to address inventory constraints and ensuring communication to retail partners is proactive and accurate Flag emerging inventory risks early and develop mitigation options before constraints become out of stock failures 3. S&Oe Meeting Support & Short Term Demand Prioritization Prepare and maintain the weekly S&Oe meeting deck, synthesizing the latest inventory positions, constraint forecasts, and demand priorities in a clear, action-oriented format Lead the identification and evaluation of short-term demand drivers, including new retailer launches, promotional features, and display events, that compete for constrained inventory Build and maintain a rolling calendar of planned promotions, features, and displays across all retail customers, providing end-to-end visibility into the timing and magnitude of demand events Develop tools to stress test the promotional calendar against supply constraints and recommend adjustments to the timing or sequencing of events to prevent simultaneous inventory draws Communicate inventory prioritization decisions clearly to Retail and Fulfillment teams so they can manage expectations proactively 4. Supply Chain & Manufacturing Liaison Serve as the primary analytical link between the Retail team and the Supply Chain Team, translating commercial plans into actionable supply requirements Work with Manufacturing and Procurement to identify opportunities to increase production of SKUs facing demand driven scarcity Partner with the Commercialization team on new product launches Translate the Retail team’s distribution expansion plans into long range monthly production capacity requirements, enabling SCT to begin capacity setting well in advance of demand Develop and maintain a 12‑month capacity outlook that integrates new customer onboarding, promotional plans, and organic velocity growth into a single view of required supply 5. Tools, Reporting & Process Building Design, build, and maintain the planning tools, dashboards, and trackers that the Sales Planning function needs to operate at scale Identify process improvement opportunities as the business scales and proactively build or improve the infrastructure needed to support them Support the broader Retail team with ad hoc analytical requests related to supply planning, forecasting, and inventory management Qualifications 1 to 3 years of experience in Investment Banking, Management Consulting, Supply Chain Planning, Demand Planning, Sales, or a related CPG or FMCG function Strong analytical skills and advanced proficiency in Excel; experience with planning tools or BI platforms is a plus Ability to build robust, flexible models that can handle complexity Clear communicator who can translate supply chain complexity into actionable commercial recommendations Highly organized, detail oriented, and comfortable managing multiple workstreams simultaneously Experience working within an S&OP or S&OE process is highly desirable Familiarity with retail inventory management, DC replenishment, or PO management is a plus Excitement about helping build an early stage CPG brand Benefits This is a full‑time role. Salary: $100‑110k per year, inclusive of cash bonus based on attainment of company targets + company equity opportunity 100% covered Health, Vision, Dental Insurance 401(k) with 4% match Additional perks, such as covered commuter, gym expenses and office lunches Substantial and required PTO We work in the office 5 days per week in New York City - when culture lines up, it is fun to be in the office together #J-18808-Ljbffr David Protein